Three venues come together to showcase Aztec artists

Art by Dale Latta will be displayed at Feat of Clay Gallery as part of a series of shows highlighting local artists. (Courtesy of Feat of Clay Gallery )

FARMINGTON — Three Aztec venues will come together on Friday to feature 15 different Aztec artists as part of a series of shows.

Feat of Clay, Teasyatwho Gallery and Crash Music, all located on Main Avenue in Aztec will host an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. Then, on Saturday, Deb Fisher, a batik artist from Aztec, will lead a demo from 10 a.m. to noon at the Feat of Clay Gallery.

Crash Music's show will start at 6 p.m. Friday and go until 8 p.m.

Lou Mancel draws from her Celtic heritage to create her metal art. (Courtesy of Feat of Clay Gallery )

in order to better work with the artists schedules, Sue Rys, the co-owner of Crash Music said.

In addition to Fisher, Dale Latta, Robert Retherford, Sidney Martin, Lou Mancel and 10 other artist will display their work in the three galleries.

The artists work with varying mediums and styles.

Latta, who teaches art at Bloomfield High School, uses expressionist techniques to paint images based on candid photographs while oil painter Robert Retherford focuses on nature scenes and attempts to convey a sense of the sacred in his paintings, according to a press release from Feat of Clay Gallery in Aztec.

While Latta and Retherford use paints to create their art, Sidney Martin, a young artist, uses clay, wood, metal and encaustics to create his art. His first experience selling art was at a craft fair when he was 5 and he has been selling his creations ever since. Martin plays bass in one of Crash Music's bands and will show his art at Crash Music along with Latta.

Oil painter Robert Rutherford tries to convey a sense of the sacred in his landscape art. (Courtesy of Feat of Clay Gallery )

He will lead an encaustic workshop at noon on Saturday at Crash Music.

In addition to Latta and Martin, another artist well known in the Durango, Colo., area but relatively new to the Aztec scene will show her work at Crash Music. Tirzah Comacho, Rys' daughter, has been working over the last year to open a studio in Aztec. She is still showing in Durango as she tries to open the studio.

“I feel like I've done everything I can do in Durango,” Camacho said.

She has participated in juried shows, art on Main Street and operated a studio in downtown Durango.

Durango's art scene is already developed with a pace and regional style, she said.

In contrast, Aztec is an emerging art community.

“I feel like there's a lot of options for art,” Camacho said.

The fourth artist showing at Crash Music will be Beth McClure, who has supported the business since its start.

Rys said McClure, Latta and Martin are like family to the business.

“It's kind of a family night for us,” Rys said.

Hannah Grover covers news, arts and religion for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4652 and hgrover@daily-times.com. Follow her @hmgrover on Twitter.

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